Netherlands and Denmark pledge fighter jets for Kyiv

The Netherlands and Denmark have announced they will donate up to 61 F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine once pilot training has been satisfactorily completed, as Volodymyr Zelenskiy visited both countries after months of entreaties to bolster the Ukrainian air force.

- Dan Sabbagh

Denmark's prime minister, Mette Frederiksen, said her country would provide 19 jets - "hopefully" six around new year, eight more next year and the remaining five in 2025. "Please take this donation as a token of Denmark's unwavering support," Frederiksen said.

Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, did not put a number on the Dutch donation, but said the Netherlands had 42 in its air force. The country is in the process of replacing them with more advanced US-made F-35s.

"Today we can announce that the Netherlands and Denmark commit to the transfer of F-16 aircraft to Ukraine," Rutte said at a press conference with the Ukrainian president at an airbase at Eindhoven. The jets will be handed over once "the conditions for such a transfer have been met", he added.